More on the march to mainnet.

Welcome back to another edition of Midweek with Max, where the Hemi community gathers to hear the latest updates and insights. This week marked a milestone—the 10th episode of this series. Here’s a recap of the key highlights from the session.

The Hemi team is in the final stages of completing the hVM Phase Zero upgrade, which introduces deterministic hVM progression. This feature is essential for enabling Bitcoin tunneling on the Hemi network. Deployment of the Bitcoin tunnel contracts is expected shortly, and users will soon be able to participate in testing with point incentives available. The ability to transfer Bitcoin between the Hemi network and Bitcoin itself is just around the corner. A user interface for these features will follow later this week, adding to the accessibility of the system. The team is also working hard on improving infrastructure. Efforts are focused on monitoring tools to enhance visibility ahead of the mainnet launch. Stability improvements are in progress, with input from several auditing firms to ensure the infrastructure and configurations are optimized. These steps, though not immediately visible to users, are crucial for building a reliable and secure network.

On the marketing front, a Hemi delegation is attending Bitcoin MENA, a huge event in the Middle East and North Africa. This marks the last conference of the year for the team. Plans for 2024 include participation in major events such as WAGMI, Consensus Toronto, Consensus Hong Kong, and ETHDenver. Additionally, the team is ramping up efforts to secure year-end retrospectives and generate more PR coverage, following successful media appearances in outlets like Cointelegraph.

In the rapid-fire Q&A, the team tackled several frequently asked questions. Updates on the faucet are expected next week. Mainnet deployment is targeted for late December or early January, depending on final testing and partner readiness. The team emphasized that maintaining stability and coordinating with ecosystem partners are key factors in determining the exact timeline. The episode also featured discussions about the Hemi token, the utility of its NFTs, and plans for community governance.

The team highlighted how the Hemi network continues to differentiate itself by providing a bridge between the Bitcoin and Ethereum ecosystems, with innovative features like HVM unlocking entirely new possibilities for developers. As always, the session concluded with a reminder to stay tuned for more updates in the weeks ahead.